apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

or someone could just figure out how to make it a diy - like a sylish hat/shoe/etc box with a power strip fastened inside with a covering on top to hide it. seems simple enough. no?

A hundred bucks is still too much. I just found one for $35 that actually looks good! I think this is the best of the bunch at this price range. I just ordered it in the navy color. http://www.kangaroomstorage.com/product/new-arrivals/152/kangaroom-phone-pda-charging-station.html

Elizabeth, I have been pondering this myself. Was at Ikea a couple weeks ago and checked out their box selection, but didn't find anything suitable. The challenge is finding a box long enough to accommodate a power strip but still low enough to be unobtrusive.

I have a shoe box that happens to have a nice big grommeted hole in the end (for the ease of the salesperson pulling the shoebox off the shelf, I guess). It would be perfect. Now, how to make it pretty? Contact paper would be the easiest, but looks tacky. Do you think wrapping paper would look nice enough? Fabric would be the best, but I don't trust myself to glue it on without bubbles. Anyone done this?

That KangaRoom dealie is very slick and I like the price but I don't think it would work for me, I also want to fit a battery charger in there.

enrique, that looks like a great find...please let us know how you like it when it arrives. I think I might order it too...

I have been contemplating a DIY charge box, but as mjoe said it is not as easy as your would think to find a suitable box...

hmm...i know there has to be some sort of metal box (because i think metal would look cool and you could paint it easily with that spray paint...was it for engines? i don't remember - someone used it on there stove here) - i will DEFINITELY go out looking this weekend for boxes. we have some pretty cool storage/organization stores here that would probably have something really neat, and i'm sure they're not the wholesaler so I could try to get that info if i find some...but, personally, with a shoe box - and i do this all the time for storing pictures, paint brushes, what-have-you - is I like to papier maché it. you can use liquid starch, decoupage, or plain old elmers and water. i think the liquid starch/glue water will wash off easily if you decide to change your mind. you could use some really cool glossy magazine pages. but this way, if you papier maché it, it makes the box thicker and heavier, in turn reinforcing it so it is stronger to hold all the essentials.

but i'll let you know what i find on boxes.

hmm...i guess accented letters don't work...

What about a RIBBON BOX? This one is kinda fug, but I'm sure you could find a nicer one...

http://www.vandykes.com/product/02021097/

I could be the freak minority but I want to hide the actual devices away, as well. I dislike the look of those scattered around as much as the wires. Something cabinet-like (even art-like?) that mounts right over the outlet to hide it, and accomodates the strip and cords and devices all inside, managed so they don't get tangled up. Still searching!

To those looking for a DIY solution, Lifehacker blogged about a very nice-looking DIY cord and charger box a couple of months ago. They used a Memory Dock media box (11.98 USD) butI suppose you can use any file box that's of similar dimension. :)

http://lifehacker.com/software/clutter/build-a-cordandcharger-organizer-229408.php

mjoe,

Use those presurized cans of spray-on glue for the fabric. I have heaps of that stuff and it works a treat (no bubbles, I promise).

Martha Stewart had a tutorial on how to make your own out of two cardboard files, but I can't seem to find it on her website.

My husband created one for our gadgets out of one of these: http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?CATID=62561&PRODID=69701

You cut a hole in the bottom and place the power strip inside with the cord hanging out to the outlet. Then you cut a hole in the top and pull the little cords through. Voila!

OK, so this isn't cheap by any means but it's Italian and fab!
We got one last year, the silver one, and we luv it.

check out:

www.multipot.com

Ylighting.com sells it...

cheers
C

Enrique,
That one you ordered looks boss. I wish the website had better pics though. Can you snap some when yours comes in, especially the top view? Thanks!

I've been looking for one that I can put over an awkwardly placed outlet (above a radiator), near where the cable and telephone line comes into the apartment, to hide wifi and small cable Internet box, use as a shelf, and put my small phone on top. This thing comes the closest, but I'm not sure if all my stuff will go in there. Currently I have it all in a shopping bag. Think I could get someone to cut out a hole? Also, this thing looks a little flimsy, not sure if it can take the weight of bulky plugs...

Kah, the Martha Stewart one was probably the one they showed you how to make in the first issue of Blueprint. It may be on Blueprint's website--in any case, it was 2 of the Container Store's library files.

Also from the Container Store? Decent-looking, plain ribbon boxes.